Partitions covered with a facing fabric

ABSTRACT

The post has at least one slot extending over the entire height of said post and into which a portion of a facing fabric applied against the post and at least one partition adjacent said post can be inserted, while fastening elements carried by said post at locations thereon which are to be covered by the facing fabric are adapted to retain a corresponding looped, fluffy, down, velvety, felted cellular or the like portion of the back of the facing fabric.

United States Patent [191 Billarant et al.

[ Dec. 25, 1973 1 PARTITIONS COVERED WITH A FACING FABRIC Inventors: Patrick Billarant, Nantes; Robert Goubeau, 8015 Le Roi; Jacques Langlois, Paris, all of France Assignee: Velcro France, Paris, France Filed: July 28, 1971 Appl. No.: 166,678

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1966 Kimmel 52/731 X 9/1965 Hill 52/273 X 3/1936 Driver 52/731 2/1953 Willson... 52/731 X 3/1936 Camp 52/731 2,263,355 11/1941 Fould 52/497 X 2,171,540 9/1939 Calkins et 31.... 52/731 X 3,382,639 5/1968 Smith et a1 52/731 3,424,179 1/1969 Minot 52/63 X 3,657,850 4/1972 Billgrant .1 52/222 1,782,695 11/1930 Prez 52/506 X 3,374,593 3/1968 Reusch I. 52/731 X 3,253,373 5/1966 Diack I 1. 52/730 X 3,572,002 3/1971 Nichols 52/86 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 250,639 1 H1966 Austria 52/497 1,512,833 8/1968 France 52/731 Primary ExaminerFrank L. Abbott Assistant ExaminerCarl D. Friedman Attorney-David Toren et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT The post has at least one slot extending over the entire height of said post and into which a portion of a facing fabric applied against the post and at least one partition adjacent said post can be inserted, while fastening elements carried by said post at locations thereon which are to be covered by the facing fabric are adapted to retain a corresponding looped, fluffy, down, velvety, felted cellular or the like portion of the back of the facing fabric.

4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 1111/ III PATENTEI] DEC 2 5 I975 SHEEI 2 OF 4 INVENTORS: PATRICK 311mm Mann G OUJERU aves Lann 3 19:1. am] 7*? l PARTITIONS COVERED WITH A FACING FABRIC This invention relates to a post which, in addition to its function of holding a partition in place, serves as a support for invisibly fixing a fabric for covering the partition and the post, for example for the purpose of forming a decorative facing and an acoustic and thermal insulation.

By fabric there is understood here any completely or partly flexible sheet or web in the most diverse materials, woven or non-woven, in natural, artificial or synthetic fibres, or again, for example, a plastics material in the form of flexible sheet of greater or lesser thickness, provided if necessary on one or both of its faces with other materials which are also flexible.

The post according to the invention has at least one slot extending over the entire height of said post and into which a portion of a facing fabric applied against the post and at least one partition adjacent said post can be inserted, while fastening elements carried by said post at locations thereon which are to be covered by the facing fabric are adapted to retain a corresponding looped, fluffy, downy, velvety, felted, cellular or the like portion of the back of the facing fabric.

A post of this kind offers a whole range of advantages. In fact, it allows very simple and rapid putting-on of the facing fabric without it being necessary for the partition to undergo the slightest preparation, so that it can remain in the rough or unfinished state and, consequently, the transport thereof does not necessitate special care, dressing or preparation being effected on request, on site, after complete assembly. The fixing of the fabric is invisible, it does not produce any hollow joints and does not require joint covers. When intermediate panels called imposts are used to adapt the standard modules of prefabricated partitions to the height available below the ceiling in each room of any working site, the fixing of thefacing fabric by means of the post in question enables the joints of said imposts to be completely concealed.

In an advantageous constructional form, the post is made of bent sheet metal and it is braced by internal stay plates or gussets, likewise of sheet metal, which are fixed against the inner faces of said post in planes perpendicular to the general direction of the latter, said stay plates each having a cut-out or cut-away opposite each slot of the post.

The invention will be better understood by reading the following description and examining the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of non-limitative examples, a number of embodiments of a post according to the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically in plan view, with parts broken away, partition elements associated with posts according to the invention in different cases of assembly;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section on a larger scale of one of the posts of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section on a smaller scale taken on the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to that of FIG. 2, showing variants of the section of the post;

FIG. 7 shows a variant of the upper portion of FIG. 2, and

FIGS. 8 to 11 show other variants diagrammatically in section.

There can be seen in FIG. 1, by way of simple nonlimitative example, an assembly of partitions associated with posts according to the invention of different crosssections according to their locations. Thus, there is shown in particular, for instance, a flat post 1 connecting two partitions 2, 3 located so that one forms an extension of the other, two right-angled posts 4 and 55, one of which connects two partitions 5, 6 at right angles, a post 7 of T-shaped cross-section connecting three partitions 8, 9 and 10, and a post 12 of crossshaped or star-shaped cross-section connecting four partitions 13, l4, l5, 16.

All these posts have slots extending over the entire post height, as indicated as 21, 22 in the case of the post 1 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

In the examples shown here, all the posts are made of bent sheet metal. Thus, the post 1 is formed of two facing one another at the edges of their flanges or arms,

which leave a small gap between them so as to form the two slots 21, 22.

The two parts 24, 25 of the post are rendered fast with one another and stiffened by means of braces constituted by internal stay plates or gussets, such as 26, likewise of sheet metal and fixed against the inner faces of the post, in planes perpendicular to the general direction thereof, by lugs such as 28, 29 turned up at right angles with respect to the planes of the stay plates and fixed flat against the corresponding inner faces of the post, for example by electric spot welds. Opposite each of the slots 21, 22, the stay plates have cut-outs such as 32 giving the slots a wide clearance.

On each side of each of the slots, for example on each side of the slot 21, the wall of the post in this embodiment has, in the proximity of said slot, an offset portion forming a recess 34 (FIG. 2) in which there is fixed flat, by its back, a band or tape 35 the front of which bears a large number of filiform fastening elements 36. Tapes known on the market by the name Velcro may be used with advantage for this purpose.

The partition 3 (FIG. 1) is covered with a fabric 41 which also covers the corresponding face of the part 25 of the post 1 and the marginal portion 41A of which (FIG. 2) is inserted in the slot 22 of said post.

At least that part of the back of the fabric 41 which is located over the filiform fastening elements 36 is looped, fluffy, downy, velvety, felted, cellular or the like, so as to be retained effectively by said filiform fastening elements when, at the instant when the fabric is placed in position, it-is applied against said fastening elements with a certain pressure.

In a similar manner, the fabric 43 covering the partition 2 (FIGS. 1 and 2) also covers the corresponding face of the part 24 of the post 1, against which it is held by the fastening elements 36 carried by this face of the post, while the marginal portion 43A of the fabric is also inserted in the slot 22 and, together with the marginal portion 41A of the fabric 41, has room to be accommodated without any difficulty in the cut-outs 32 of the various stay plates 26 bracing the two parts 24, 25 of the post. The width of the slots is such that it can receive two thicknesses of fabric without excessive play. Facing fabrics 46, 47 are applied against the other faces of the partitions 2 and 3 and of the post 1 in a similar manner.

The fixing of the facing fabrics is thus effected in a simple and rapid manner without any preparation of the surface of the partitions; the joint is invisible, in particular if the front of these fabrics is fluffy.

F IG. 4 shows a variant type of post the cross-section of which is in the form of a right angle, as is the case, for example, with the posts 4 and 55 in FIG. 1. The principle of the structure is still the same and the corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numbers. The two parts forming the post 4 are in the form of a U with unequal arms and the faces of the post bordering the slots are at right angles.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the details of the structure of a post of T-shaped cross-section, such as the post 7 in FIG. 1, and of a post of a cross-section in the form of a cross or star, like the post 12 in FIG. 1, respectively. The same reference numbers designate the corresponding elements and the faces of the post bordering the slots are at right angles or in alignment. The principle of the structure of these posts is still the same, as is the mounting of the facing fabrics.

The facing fabrics, while being fixed to the fastening elements, may be not inserted in the slots of one or more intermediate posts, whatever may be the form of the cross-section of said posts. Thus, it can be seen in FIG. 1 that the fabric 51 passes and is fixed against a plane face of the post 53 of T-shaped cross-section without entering the slot 52 in this post. Likewise, the fabrics 41 and 46 are applied and fixed against the faces of the salient angle and against the faces of the reentrant angle of the post 55 of right-angled crosssection without marginal portions being inserted in the slots in the post. The same could be the case with posts of any other section, for example on the posts 1 and 12 of flat and star-shaped cross-section, respectively. In this case, the fabric spans the corresponding slot and does not need to be cut. For aesthetic reasons or for reasons of strengthening the fixing of the fabric, it is also possible to form a false joint by not providing any marginal zone on the fabric level with the slot, but by inserting a continuous portion of fabric into the slot. Thus, as shown in the case of the T-shaped post 56 in FIG. 1, the fabric 57 is in a single piece on both sides of the post and has an uncut fold 58 thrust into the slot.

In the embodiments hereinbefore described, the projection of each lip of a longitudinal slot of a post with respect to the corresponding face of said post is obtained by the presence of an offset portion forming a recess in which the fastening elements are fixed, but this projection could be obtained in any other suitable manner. Thus, by way of modification, there is shown in FIG. 7 another constructional form in which the projection of each lip is obtained by the fact that each edge of the slot of the sheet-metal post is rolled outwards, as indicated in 61 and 62.

Moreover, likewise by way of modification, instead of being added, the fastening elements may be made in one with the post and, for example, be constituted by points or teeth 63, 64 cut out of the sheet metal of the post and raised outwards. The fabrics 46 and 47 are fixed to the fastening elements 63, 64 and have their marginal portions inserted between the lips 61 and 62 of the slot, as in the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2, for example.

The variant of FIG. 8 differs from that of FIG. 7 in that the edges of the slot 21 are not rolled, but are bent back at 65, 66 towards the outside, for example at right angles with respect to the plane of the adjacent faces of the post. Hooks 36 have been adopted as fastening side, on the recesses 34, in the form of hooks or cut-out points.

In FIG. 10 there will be found again the construction of FIG. 9, with the inner lips 67, 68 and the points 69, 70, but the faces bordering the slot 21 are plane and do not have any recesses.

Finally, in FIG. 11, there are neither recesses nor inner or outer lips close to the slot 21, which is defined by the facing arms of the flat metal sheets forming the post. The slot is bordered, in its immediate vicinity or at some distance, by fastening elements, for example hooks 36.

As is apparent from the foregoing, it is therefore possible either to have recesses bordering the slot, with or without inner lips for the latter, or to have only inner or outer lips bordering the slot, or again to have neither recesses nor tips, the faces of the post bordering the slot being plane, this being the case whatever the angle, reentrant, salient or plane, that they form between them.

The invention is therefore not limited to the embodiments described and shown, which have been given by way of example; modifications may be made therein, in accordance with the applications contemplated, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, for example, fastening means other than those which have been described hereinbefore could be used and posts with angle values other than or could be provided.

What we claim is:

1. A partition structure comprising an upwardly extending hollow post having a polygonal transverse cross-section, said post being formed of sheet metal and having at least two slots extending for its height and located at spaced positions in said post, said slots opening into the hollow interior of said post, stay plates located within said post and spaced apart in the upward direction thereof, said plates extending transversely across the hollow interior of said post between its interior surfaces, said stay plates arranged approximately perpendicularly to the height direction of said post, said stay plates having cut outs aligned inwardly of said slots, at least one upwardly extending partition associated with said post and having a pair of oppositely directed surfaces with at least one of its oppositely directed surfaces aligned with one side of said post in which one of said slots is located, fastening elements secured to said post on the outer surface thereof and extending therealong adjacent to the opposite sides of said slots and arranged to secure one of looped, fluffy, downy, velvety, felted, cellular and like structures, and a facing fabric positioned within said slot and extending therefrom over said post and one of said surfaces of said partition and having a structure in its surface facing said post so that said fastening elements thereon secure said fabric to said post, and said slots having a 6 wherein said fastening elements are formed integrally with said post.

4. A partition structure, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the outer faces of said post bordering the slot therein are inclined toward one another. 

1. A partition structure comprising an upwardly extending hollow post having a polygonal transverse cross-section, said post being formed of sheet metal and having at least two slots extending for its height and located at spaced positions in said post, said slots opening into the hollow interior of said post, stay plates located within said post and spaced apart in the upward direction thereof, said plates extending transversely across the hollow interior of said post between its interior surfaces, said stay plates arranged approximately perpendicularly to the height direction of said post, said stay plates having cut outs aligned inwardly of said slots, at least one upwardly extending partition associated with said post and having a pair of oppositely directed surfaces with at least one of its oppositely directed surfaces aligned with one side of said post in which one of said slots is located, fastening elements secured to said post on the outer surface thereof and extending therealong adjacent to the opposite sides of said slots and arranged to secure one of looped, fluffy, downy, velvety, felted, cellular and like structures, and a facing fabric positioned within said slot and extending therefrom over said post and one of said surfaces of said partition and having a structure in its surface facing said post so that said fastening elements thereon secure said fabric to said post, and said slots having a width approximately twice the thickness of said facing fabric.
 2. A partition structure, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said post having lips formed thereon bordering said slot and said fastening elements located on said lips.
 3. A partition structure, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening elements are formed integrally with said post.
 4. A partition structure, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the outer faces of said post bordering the slot therein are inclined toward one another. 